Plastic waste is a major problem in Europe. It has been estimated that every year between 5 and 13 million metric tonnes of plastic waste end up in our oceans and contribute significantly to pollution, and the problem is expected to worsen in the near future. The European Commission has taken several steps to reduce plastic pollution and increase plastic waste management, including the adoption of the Single-Use Plastic Directive in 2019, which bans 10 single-use plastic items, including cutlery, plates, and straws. The Directive also requires that beverage containers made from plastic be labeled with a list covering the percentage of recyclable material used.
Other initiatives, such as awareness campaigns and improved recycling infrastructure, are also being implemented to better manage plastic waste in Europe. But despite the current positive trends, plastic pollution is a big problem and still poses a threat to the safety of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. There is thus an urgent need for additional measures to handle plastic waste.
Against this backdrop, the Bioplastics Europe and Baltiplast projects, in cooperation with the European School of Sustainability Science and Research (ESSSR) ,
the International Sustainable Development Research Programme (IUSDRP)
and the UK Consortium for Sustainability Research, are organising the Innovative Approaches to Handling Plastic Waste: Towards a More Circular Economy symposium, which will be held online on 10 October 2023.
The symposium is intended to introduce initiatives aimed at handling plastic waste in Europe. It provides a unique opportunity for presentations on current projects, new methods, company products and innovative ways of handling plastic waste and the many environmental and socio-economic impacts associated with it.
Expressions of interest in taking part on the symposium, consisting of a 200-word abstract and authors' complete contact details, should be sent to the coordination team at: info (at) iccip (dot) net.
Please include the following information:
- Name
- Organisation
- Position held
- Country
- Title of the presentation
- Summary (abstract) of 200 words
Participation is free of charge.
The deadline for sending expressions of interest (EoI) is 15 June 2023. Further details will be discussed with the selected authors.
